In the clip, a man can be heard saying ‘These are your heads, enemies of god’ while there are claims the phrase ‘this is for Syria’ was used, in an apparent reference to Western bombing missions in the war-torn country.

Ms Ueland and Ms Vesterager Jespersen, who were studying to be outdoor guides at a Norwegian university, were spotted with three men in Marrakesh before heading to the Atlas mountains to hike.

A Moroccan police source said today that three fugitive suspects had been arrested in Marrakesh after an intensive manhunt – a day after another man was held, suspected of belonging to an Islamic extremist group.

An additional nine men were arrested days later in several Moroccan cities, including Marrakesh and Essaouira, reported state-run media 2M.